The Aftermath
by RoisinChubs
Summary: My interpretation of the events between CoFA and CoLS starting from Clary's return to the roof to find Jace, and her reaction to his absence. Not sure how far I'm going to go with it, but I do want to include the immediate aftermath and reaction to Sebastian and Jace's disappearance. Rated T to be safe. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I'm hoping to write more chapters following on from this, if you guys like it. So let me know what you think, and thank you so much for reading! All characters belong to the wonderful Cassie Clare, This is simply my interpretation of what may have taken place between CoFA and CoLS**

Taking her reflection in as she glanced at the mirrored wall, Clary gasped. Her dress was tattered and bloody, her hair matted, and her neck was a gruesome patchwork of dried blood from where Jace's knife had cut her skin. Sighing, she ran her hands through her unruly hair, desperately trying to tame it, and tried to smooth down her dress. It was hopeless. No, there was nothing to be done, and her appearance would definitely do her no favours when trying to reassure him that he wasn't the devil reincarnate.

As the elevator stopped, butterflies formed in Clary's stomach. She had left him in such a fowl mood, not wanting to touch or look at her. She was unsure how to proceed, no longer doubting his love for her, but her ability to pull him away from the black depression he was forcing himself into. She was suddenly afraid that seeing her would push him further into that darkness. Terror gripped her as she considered this and she began to back into the elevator intending to rejoin the others, but she stopped herself. She realised that both of them needed to stop abandoning each other as a means of protection and begin to trust the other to handle themselves. Anger and determination reared inside her and the terror dissolved as quickly as it had gripped her a moment ago. Anger at Jace for punishing himself for events that he was not to blame for, and anger at herself for even thinking of leaving him to deal with that pain alone on this roof top. Holding her head high, she forgot her ruined clothes and deshevilled appearance and walked straight through the door to find, reassure and ultimately help that beautiful, vulnerable boy who never cried.

Alec was huddled in the corner, still wrapped in Magnus' arms when it happened. He felt something pull taught within him and a painful chill spread through his chest, his heart heavy and cold like ice. He was suddenly filled with a terrifying emptiness that even Magnus' touch could not banish. Breaking away, he touched his hand to his parabatai rune, it pulsed once, and then went cold.

He looked up and met Magnus' questioning gaze. 'Something's wrong!" He gasped, sprinting towards the stairwell, not patient enough to wait for the elevator. He heard shouts behind him but did not stop to take in what they were saying. He was too desperate to get to the roof, to get to Jace.

Finally, Alec burst through the heavy door and onto the destroyed rooftop. Shards of ichor and grime coated glass littered the floor and there amongst all the debris sat Clary, head resting on her knees which were tucked under her. She stared blank faced at the glittering lights of the city, her lips moving slightly, murmuring the same word again and again, but Alec couldn't quite make it out.

He tentatively moved toward her, reaching out with one hand.

"Clary," he whispered, softly, so as not to startle her, "Clary, where is he?"

She didn't reply, just sat there with the same vacant expression muttering that same word.

"Clary! Where is he?" He was more frantic now, "Clary, answer me!"

She stood, whirling to face him in one swift, ferocious move, her face contorting into a look of sheer horror and agonising grief.

"GONE!" She screamed, tears leaving glistening tracks on her grimy face, "He took him."

her voice faltered, her face fell and suddenly hysterical and terrifying sobs ripped from her chest. Her hands flew to her face, as if to hide it from him, and she sagged, her knees buckling from underneath her. Alec caught her, and not sure of what else to do, pulled her to him. That cold emptiness resurfaced as he did so, and he know that Clary could feel it too. Tears pricked his eyes as the full weight of her words sank in. _Gone_, she had cried, _He took him. _Reality struck him so hard that his legs began to tremble too, and all that kept him from falling to the floor was Clary. Tiny, short-tempered Clary, whom he never really spoke to unless to exchange simple pleasantries. Clary who had been the object of his wrath many times. Clary, who was bound to Jace just as strongly as he was. As he held her, her could finally hear that word she kept repeating. _Jace Jace Jace_. She said his name like a prayer, like a call to bring him back to her. _Jace Jace Jace_.

They stood like that for who knows how long, both enduring that raw hollowness in silent companionship, each other's embrace being the only thing that held them together.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Sorry it took so long to post, but here it is, the second chapter in Simon's and Izzy's perspective this time. As always, let me know what you think! Thanks for the faves and follows! **

_*****Disclaimer: The Mortal Instruments belongs to Cassandra Clare*****_

Simon, being faster than the others, caught up to Alec just as he flung himself through the door leading to the rooftop. Hurrying after him, Simon slipped through as it swung shut. The first thing he saw was Clary, sitting, comatose, amongst the rubble; in the back of his mind he registered that there was something seriously wrong with his surroundings, but that was unimportant when he took in the vulnerable state of his best friend.

His heart longed to go to her but something, he wasn't sure what, held him back as he watched Alec approach her tentatively, as one would a wounded animal. Simon watched in awe as Alec, whom he believed to have never been overly fond of Clary, drew her hysterical form to his chest and held her as she cried.

Feeling as though encroaching on a private moment, Simon shrank back towards the door. He now began to concentrate more on what was around him. Only one person could draw such a devastated reaction from Clary and that was Jace, but Simon also knew, as a result of Jace's staying with him, that he would hate himself if he caused her this much pain and would just as soon seek to right any wrong he caused in the heat of the moment. It didn't make sense. Where was he? Why was Alec the one comforting her and not him? As Simon surveyed the area that niggling sense of something being horribly wrong returned, this time with more force. Suddenly the pieces began to fall into place, the shattered glass, Clary and Alec holding onto each other as if the world was burning down around them and Jace's absence from her side. A cold ache spread through him as he began to understand. Sebastian was gone and so, he realised a fraction later, was Jace.

_Isabelle POV_

After Alec disapeared into the stairwell a few moments of tension-filled silence fell over the group before everyone sprang into action. Simon sprinted after him in a flash with Magnus close behind him, blue fire crackling from his fingertips. Isabelle knew however that the vampire would reach him a lot sooner than the rest of them. Despite this, She stumbled after the warlock, a sickening dread seizing up her limbs. All she could hear was Alec's agonized cry that something was wrong, all she could see was the haunted look in his eye, so similar to the one Jace wore when Alec himself lay dying from Abbadon's poison. The adults ran past her, Maryse frantic to get to her sons, Luke half in wolf form was already overtaking Magnus, and Jocelyn, with a look of determined ferocity, wasn't far behind. Another wave of terror spread through Isabelle as she realsied that Clary was also missing from their group.

When they reached the door that led out onto the roof, it felt like a lead weight had settled in Isabelle's stomach. Just as Luke reached for the door handle, it sprang open to reveal Simon, looking paler than normal. Silently, he stepped aside and gestured to a hulking form behind him, a flash of red and gold being cradled by black; Alec holding Clary, both had collapsed to their knees, and were clutching each other as if the world had ended. Magnus was rooted to the spot, Jocelyn began to make her way toward her daughter but Luke held her back. Both Isabelle and her mother turned to look at Simon with questioning eyes. He opened his mouth and choked out one word.

"Jace."

_Simon POV_

The entire group collectively held their breath, each set of eyes trained on him.

However, Simon only cared about one. A pair of deep black eyes that looked at him now, not with the faint dislike that had so often filled them since the night she had found out he was cheating on her, but with sheer desolation.

"Is he dead?" Isabelle murmured.

What could he say?_ Not yet, but good old Seb's taken another family member from you, another brother .. _he remembered her bitter self-hatred after Max's death and flinched.

"I don't know." was all he could utter. He looked up at Izzy, at the faint hope on her face and sighed.

"Well where is he? Did he run away again, is that why Clary is so distraught?"

Looking at the glimmer of hope shining through the terror in her eyes, Simon realised he couldn't hide the truth. With a brief glance at Jocelyn, which he knew would be devastated by this news just as much as the Lightwood family, he muttered "He's gone, Iz. Sebastian took him."

Maryse let out a soft scream.

Jocelyn sank to the floor.

Luke scrambled to break her fall.

Magnus swore under his breath.

Izzy just stared. Blank faced, she stumbled toward Simon and collapsed into his arms.

**So what do you guys think? I wasn't sure about Izzy's final reaction to it all, as she's quite independent and all that. I just like the idea that she needs comforting too. And Simon is obviously the perfect one to do so.**

**Will post the next chapter soon! REVIEW PLEASE! love you all.**


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